Some electromagnetic contactors configured to open and close a current path include a main contact mechanism, which turns on and cuts off a high current, and an auxiliary contact mechanism, which coordinates with a behavior of the main contact mechanism. For example, an electromagnetic contactor including these main contact mechanism and auxiliary contact mechanism as described in PLT 1 has been conventionally known.
The electromagnetic contactor described in PLT 1 includes a pair of main-contact-side fixed contacts, a main contact mechanism including a main-contact-side movable contact, which is contactable to/separable from these pair of main-contact-side fixed contacts, an auxiliary contact mechanism, which coordinates with the main-contact-side movable contact, and an electromagnet unit, which drives the main-contact-side movable contact in the main contact mechanism. The electromagnet unit includes a movable plunger, which is coupled to the main-contact-side movable contact with a coupling shaft, and an excitation coil, which generates an exciting force at the electromagnet unit through excitation to drive the movable plunger.
A housing chamber airtightly seals the main contact mechanism, the auxiliary contact mechanism, and the movable plunger and the coupling shaft of the electromagnet unit as movable portions. The housing chamber internally seals gas for arc extinction for efficient extinction of the arc.